168 - - Art. 168. Battle Is The Defeat Of Those Who Show Their Backs
"Yes, I have missed what I have done. What city of Agartha was it that fell?
The Empress Dowager\'s face was also trying hard to compose a spare smile, but she could barely manage a tight one.
The chamberlain took a deep breath, stared at the note in his hand, and then looked at the emperor and the queen mother again.
"I have something to tell you. The imperial citadel of Garbee has fallen. It has fallen to the forces of Agartha.
In a calm, slow tone, the chamberlain reports his findings. As the report progressed, the blood drained from the faces of the Emperor and the Empress.
"...Garbee...has fallen? I can\'t believe it.
The emperor was stunned, unable to accept the reality.
Call the general... call General Callies.
The dowager Empress Dowager\'s dusky voice was spat out. The chamberlain\'s body trembled and his voice was strained.
Yes, sir... sir... sir... sir. This... news... is for Mr. Koenig as well.
"It is of no use!"
The Empress Dowager\'s voice, almost like an exclamation, echoed through the room.
"Let Duke Koenig continue his attack on Agartha! If they had dropped Garbee, Agartha would have attacked with her whole army. So now Agartha is deserted! Let them attack! More importantly, Garvey! We must, we must, we must get it back! Call the general, General Callies, quickly!"
The attendants were so frightened by the dowager empress\'s swordsmanship that they fled from the scene. The room was filled with the sound of the Empress Dowager\'s heavy breathing, but no one spoke.
A few moments later, General Caries appeared.
I have come at your urgent request.
"Go to Garbee."
"What? Empress Dowager, I do not understand what you are saying..."
"We\'re going to Garbee!"
The Empress Dowager stood up involuntarily and exclaimed. There was no longer any of her usual plump, relaxed smile, but only an old woman with upturned eyes and a deep furrow between her brows. The emperor, who had been watching the scene with his eyes swimming, opened his mouth to General Callies, at a loss for words.
"Gah... Garbee has fallen. Agartha is reported to have fallen."
The look in General Caries\' eyes changes. The no-nonsense atmosphere he had been in earlier was gone, and there was the face of a man who had survived many trials and ordeals.
"Garvey.... That place is just a stone\'s throw from the capital. If it falls, the capital will be in danger. But to bring down the fortress city that had boasted of its impregnability.... But 10,000 men under our banner will not be enough to attack there. We will have to call back the 30,000 defenders of the Imperial City and the troops that went to Agartha.
"Okay, okay. I\'ll do whatever you want, but...
"No!"
The emperor\'s words were interrupted by the queen mother. Looking at the emperor, who was absolutely mortified by her brazenness, she continued her speech.
"I will allow you to take the defense force of the imperial capital with you. But you will not bring back the troops sent to Agartha!"
"Why not? That fortress city is solid. The only way is to overrun it with a large army..."
Agartha will be empty!
General Callies is momentarily caught off guard, but he regains his composure. Then, slowly exhaling to regain his composure, he continues with his words of admonition.
"You are right, Agartha may be empty. But your majesty. What we need most now is not Agartha, but the retrieval of Garbee. At this rate, even if we can defeat Agartha, we may lose the Imperial City, our main residence. With this in mind, I, Khaleesi Seema, humbly beg you to cancel your expedition to Agartha."
"No, sir. The expedition to Agartha must not be canceled."
"Empress Dowager! Now, when Heedata\'s reinforcements arrive in Garbee, it will be even harder to drop them! The number of troops occupying Garbee now is estimated at 3,000 at most. Surrounding it with 100,000 men and attacking it with all your might will bring down the city, no matter how strong it is. Please, please..."
General Caries hangs his head deeply. No one speaks. And then the sound of silk shifting in General Callies\'s ears reaches his ears.
"How many times do I have to tell you the same thing? I hate such nonsense.
With that, the Empress Dowager turned on her heel and left the room.
"That\'s why, General. Take the Imperial Guard and retake Garbee. This is an imperial order.
The emperor took one look at General Callies, who continued to hang his head, and quickly followed his mother, the Empress Dowager, out of the room. The ladies followed him.
In the empty room, General Callies slowly raised his head. He exhaled deeply, looking at the ceiling. The general looked into the distance. Just staring off into the distance.
Meanwhile, after several mountain crossings and encampments, the Lamarons finally arrived at the border of Agartha and gasped at the sight before them.
There was a great river, the likes of which they had never seen before.
Koenig, the commander-in-chief of the Agartha army, did not even try to hide his dismay and raised his voice.
"What is this! What happened! I never heard that the Irbezi River was in such a state!"
Gritting their teeth, they stared at the Irbezi River, which had turned into a mighty river. No one speaks out. At that moment, Koenig overhears a casual conversation among the soldiers in the rear detachment that has arrived.
"Wow, I knew it!"
"It\'s been so warm these days. I was wondering if the water had risen.
Koenig rode silently to the soldiers. The soldiers are surprised to see the commander-in-chief approaching and hang their heads. Koenig quickly draws his sword and thrusts the tip at them.
"I\'d like to execute anyone who talks nonsense, but I\'ll let you off the hook for now. Answer my question. How did you know the river would rise?
"We grew up near this river. The Irbezi River rises every spring due to the melting snow. The flow of the water is so rapid that I was often scolded by a lady in the neighborhood when I was a child because of the danger. However, this water is said to be very good water, and the perfume made with this water is wonderful..."
"Nuh-uh!"
The soldier who had been speaking so desperately had been stabbed in the throat by Koenig\'s sword and died instantly.
"I have allowed you to answer my questions, but I have not allowed you to talk in vain."
Koenig points his sword at the other soldier, who is trembling and fighting next to the slain soldier.
"Hey, you! Which company are you from?"
"I am from the cavalry of the Fourth Army, Commander Venezene."
What is your rank?
I\'m a captain.
"Captain...so you\'re an elite unit, huh? Can you cross this river?"
I... I don\'t know.
"My orders. You will cross this river now. It\'s that simple. I\'ll reward you if you can make it to the side of Agartha. If you wish to die, feel free to refuse. Go.
A sword is thrust out from Koenig and is held against the soldier\'s throat. Unable to resist, the soldier left the scene and rode his horse into the river toward Agartha.
Just as they reached the middle of the river, the horses stopped. For a while the soldier whipped the horse and kicked the horse\'s belly with the stirrups, but soon the horse was swept away by the river water and the soldier was swept away with it. The man never appeared on the surface of the water again.
"Commander-in-Chief, let\'s take our men back to the capital.
His second-in-command, who had served him for many years, came nearby and called out to him.
"No, we are marching to Agartha."
Please wait. If we continue on this river, I fear many of our men will fall. It is not a good idea to let the men go into the river like this.
The adjutant pleads in desperation. Koenig stares at the river for a while and then gives an order to his second-in-command.
"Gather the commanders. Hold a council of war."
Koenig ordered the assembled commanders to come up with a plan to cross the river by tomorrow morning. However, the consensus of all the commanders was to retreat to Rainy. Koenig insisted on invading Agartha, but the commanders did not listen to Koenig\'s order and started to retreat.
Koenig had no choice but to retreat as far as Rainie, but his heart was filled with hatred.
"I will destroy Agartha... and all the commanders..." he said. I will destroy Agartha, and then I will destroy the commanders who disregarded my orders.... I will destroy those who do such useless things....
Koenig was alone on his horse on the way to the retreat, mumbling and spouting a lot of nonsense.